Thailand to launch operation to reclaim protest sites

BANGKOK (AFP) - Thailand deployed thousands of riot police in Bangkok on Friday to try to reclaim the government headquarters and other areas occupied by protesters seeking to force the prime minister from office.

The authorities plan to re-take several sites including Government House and the interior ministry, National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabut said, adding officials would try to negotiate with the demonstrators first.

"We will re-take wherever we can and arrest protest leaders," he said.

"It's not a crackdown on the protests - it's enforcement of the law over the protest sites."